The only thing I have concerns about is his back but if they think it's healthy then it's a good pick. He's a Pats type of TE, BIG. He's a good blocker that will get better and he's better then average hands. Just don't expect any real homerun plays. He's a very solid receiver but not the best in YAC and get the most from holes in the secondary. I see him as a better blocking Fauria

Strengths:Excellent height and bulk with long arms and large hands --- Terrific natural athleticism --- Soft, reliable hands --- Superb body control and ball skills --- Good route runner who knows how to get open --- Able to get off the line and beat the jam --- Runs hard after the catch and will break tackles --- Flashes some strength and power --- Excellent blocker both in-line and in space --- Plays with an edge and finishes --- A Hard Worker --- Tough --- Competitive --- Productive --- Fantastic Bloodlines.

Weaknesses:Health / Durability are major concerns --- Not very explosive --- Is a bit stiff --- Average game speed, acceleration and quickness --- Doesn't get a lot of separation --- Won't be much of a vertical weapon --- Not real elusive and won't make people miss --- Is relatively inexperienced.

The only thing I have concerns about is his back but if they think it's healthy then it's a good pick. He's a Pats type of TE, BIG. He's a good blocker that will get better and he's better then average hands. Just don't expect any real homerun plays. He's a very solid receiver but not the best in YAC and get the most from holes in the secondary. I see him as a better blocking FauriaPosted by PatsEng

scouting report Strengths: Excellent height and bulk with long arms and large hands --- Terrific natural athleticism --- Soft, reliable hands --- Superb body control and ball skills --- Good route runner who knows how to get open --- Able to get off the line and beat the jam --- Runs hard after the catch and will break tackles --- Flashes some strength and power --- Excellent blocker both in-line and in space --- Plays with an edge and finishes --- A Hard Worker --- Tough --- Competitive --- Productive --- Fantastic Bloodlines. Weaknesses: Health / Durability are major concerns --- Not very explosive --- Is a bit stiff --- Average game speed, acceleration and quickness --- Doesn't get a lot of separation --- Won't be much of a vertical weapon --- Not real elusive and won't make people miss --- Is relatively inexperienced. sounds like health is the only real issue....i love the pickPosted by andrewmcintosh

Belichick is taking the VERY best of 2 worlds it seems: He's selecting absolute fierce competitive beasts who are extremely intelligent and have a true love and knowledge of this game, AND He's not selling the "physical athlete" aspects of any of these guys, Short in this process.

Gronkowski is something like 6'6 1/2 and 264lbs...ALL academic and totally fearless in blocking and taking any hit over the middle. Gronkowski's considered by most scouts, THE most well-rounded TE in BOTH his Blocking and Pass-Catching abilities. Pass-Catching-Great route runner, great off breaks and is actually FASTER than Gresham by his 4.65 Pro Day 40. Super strong in Blocking and does it fiercely...

In recent past drafts, I have greatly criticized Bill Belichick by selling short and passing on a Draftee with far superior physical abilities, And subsequently selecting a player who's 10 X the worse Football Player, but a player who has wonderful "intangibles". And yea, "Intangibles" are great and all, but Belichick was passing on far better players NOT because those better Football Players had BAD intangibles, but because the less-gifted athlete had UNreal "intangibles." YET here, Belichick is marrying the best of BOTH worlds. Trully superb imo.

And jesus, ya gotta figure that NE has lmao-6 Picks in the first 90 picks...Do you ALL fully understand that? You're not even suppossed to have 3 picks in just exactly 90 selections...and this is the deepest draft in 10, and arguably 15 years.

The 1 single ONLY question mark with Gronkowski was his back surgery, but after his performance when he looked like a freakin' All-Pro during Arizona's Pro Day and after getting further checked out by a few more doctors, The "Back-Surgery" issue, Fell by the wayside big time. This is funny...IF I personally HAD to pick whom I wanted as the E and CB of my team, given ANY and EVERY selection in this draft, I would have gone with Gronkowski and McCourty. Haden @ CB is an unbelievable athlete, but the love of the game imo just ain't there...doing the grunt extra work certainly isn't there in either Haden OR the CB from Boise St. AND the same holds true for shortcomings i other TEs-Gresham has the size ya want, but Gresham doesn't give 2 sh#ts about blocking...at all. Hernandez is massively undersized @ TE, and somewhat same on Dennis Pitta. Pitta's like 6'4 and 244lbs and Pitta would have been my other choice at TE, but with Gronkowski's health as A-O.k., and his even bigger size, better blocking than Pitta equal route-running but actually even faster than the smaller Dennis Pitta-Gronkowski's another fantastic choice.

vollmer had a back surgery question mark coming out last year... and we all see how that worked out. SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS PICK! hope we get to see NE go back to using their big bodied guys in the passing game. LOVE THIS PICK!